Many polymers used in textile fiber applications, including apparel, bedding, and carpets and rugs, are known to exhibit susceptibility to staining. Polyesters and polyamides are known to exhibit staining from oily spills. The art discloses a number of surface treatment procedures and chemicals that have been employed over past decades to impart oil and soil repellency to polyester and polyamide fibers. Some of these treatments have been quite successful. However, all such treatments are subject to degradation from repeated wear—they tend to be gradually wiped off the surface in ordinary use. As a result, the well-known surface treatments used in the art tend to lose effectiveness over time, and require restoration. Restoration is a responsibility that devolves upon the consumer. Failure to regularly restore the surface treatment leads to premature deterioration of the appearance of the textile article to which it had been applied.
It is clear in the art that there is a need to provide oil and soil repellency of greater durability to polyester and polyamide textile goods.
Generally, oily substances cause staining in polyesters and polyamides because the oily substance wets the surface, and then diffuses into the interstices of the fibrous material. Soil repellency technologies have typically been directed to reducing the surface energy of the fibers to reduce the tendency of oils to wet the surface. It is well-known in the art that fluorinated chemicals are highly effective at reducing the surface energy of polyester and polyamide textile goods.
Fluorinated chemicals are also expensive, so it is highly desirable that as high a percentage as possible of the available fluorine atoms be caused to reside on the fiber surface, rather than within the body of the fiber where it does no good for soil repellency. In addition, the lower the concentration of additives in a polymer, the higher the property retention of the polymer itself. The higher the percentage of the fluorine atoms that reside on the surface of the fiber, the higher the so-called fluorine efficiency. A high fluorine efficiency is highly desirable.
Yokozawa et al. (Prog. Polym. Sci. 2007, 32, 147) disclose a so-called chain growth polycondensation process for the manufacturing of condensation polymers with defined molecular weights, molecular weight distributions and selective compositions.
WO2011/028778 discloses poly(alkylene arylate) copolymers comprising fluoroether functionalized alkylene arylate repeat units. Soil and water resistant fibers and fabrics prepared therefrom are disclosed.
Several block copolyesters or copolyether esters are in commercial use. Devaux et al., J. Poly Sci, Pol. Phys., 20, 1875pp (1982); and, Devaux, Chapt. 3, Transreactions in Condensation Polymers, Fakirov, ed., John Wiley & Sons, DOI: 10.1002/9783527613847, Chapter 3.